


Your life partner is here

by RebeccaAnabelBurrows



Series: Of Dark Knights and Green Lanterns [5]
Category: DCU, Justice League - All Media Types
Genre: Aliens, Fake/Pretend Relationship, I hate tagging, M/M, Mutual Pining, i'll finish later, well if I do remember
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-14
Updated: 2020-04-14
Packaged: 2021-03-01 17:40:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,461
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23650975
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RebeccaAnabelBurrows/pseuds/RebeccaAnabelBurrows
Summary: Fake dating oneshot.-“Am I hallucinating ? I didn’t realise the food was drugged.” he said.Bruce knelt, assessing his injuries - probably a sprained ankle, quite a few bruises but nothing to serious by the looks - and feels - of it.Hal raised an eyebrow at Bruce’s wandering hands.“Feeling me up, Spooky ? Not bad for a hallucination.” he said after Bruce checked his ribs for potential damage.
Relationships: Hal Jordan/Bruce Wayne
Series: Of Dark Knights and Green Lanterns [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1645951
Comments: 2
Kudos: 154





	Your life partner is here

Bruce had listened to Clark, crossed his arms and voiced his opinion. They were in Bruce’s private quarters in the Watchtower with Diana and had just got news from Hal - he had been arrested by aliens and could only send them his coordinates before his ring was confiscated.

“No.”

There was no room for contestation here. However, Clark kept trying. 

“Bruce, we need someone to get Hal out of jail. The Vedrians will only negotiate with a life partner, and they’ll respect a man’s authority more than a woman’s.”

Diana had arched an eyebrow but said nothing, although she looked pretty displeased by the Vedrians’ less than stellar opinions on women. 

“I’ve understood the first time you said it. I won’t pretend I’m Jordan’s boyfriend because they won’t buy it.” Bruce explained, his voice deadly calm.

Which could only mean, associated with the squaring of his jaw, that he was boiling with rage. Both of his friends and teammates knew him well enough to notice.  
However, a Clark with an idea was an unstoppable Clark. 

“You’re the only one who can do it.” the man insisted.

He wasn’t just playing with his friend’s feelings - not that Clark would ever do that - but really meant it.  
However, Bruce was sleep-deprived, a tad anxious and things were going a bit too close to home. He lashed out. 

“Because I am gay ? I can’t believe it. None of you will do it because you’re all straight ? You can’t pretend to be gay for, what, half a day in order to save Jordan ?” he yelled, rubbing his temples. 

There was a stunned silence for maybe half a second. Bruce savoured it. And then Clark decided he wasn’t done talking, and the headache refused to go. 

“Bruce. This isn’t - Vedrians can notice physical reactions.” Clark explained, looking a bit embarrassed. 

It wasn’t the right thing to say. 

“Reactions to what ? They’re not going to ask for physical proof that Jordan’s partner is whom they say they are, are they ? Tell me you’re not asking me to have sex with Jordan in front of a bunch of aliens in order to get him back.”

“Of course not, but the Vedrians would detect your attraction to him. You can’t expect straight people to fake that.” Diana intervened, supporting Clark.

Bruce threw her a dirty glare. Contrary to what they thought, they weren’t being discreet and half the League was aware of the evolution of their relationship into some kind of romance. The other half had no observation skills whatsoever. 

“Is it ‘Humiliation Day’ or something ? Anyway, have you even realised that Jordan would have to feel the attraction for it to work ? That can’t end well.” Bruce said through gritted teeth. 

The two others shared a look. 

“I am quite certain Hal is not as straight as everyone assumes him to be.” Diana tried tentatively.

Bruce rolled his eyes at her. 

“I know that.” 

Both Clark and Diana looked surprised by this new piece of information, and they shared another pointed look. It angered Bruce. 

“Not first hand information, but circumstantial evidence. Anyway, his orientation doesn’t mean he is attracted to me. Gay people are not attracted to every gay person they meet, contrary to straight people’s beliefs.” 

Diana’s jaw dropped.

“You think that Hal Jordan isn’t attracted to you ?” she said, eyes wide.

Bruce gave her a strange look. 

“I can’t remember a conversation with Jordan that would have suggested he is.” he said carefully.

Suddenly Diana looked very tired. 

“You can’t - you know what, Bruce ? Just go there and fetch Hal. We can have this conversation later. I promise you that the Vedrians will be convinced, and if they are not they can spend two days in the Watchtower with you two.” she had said.

Bruce had sulked like a 5 years olds for the whole duration of their trip to show his discontentment but had followed Clark to Vedr 7 when no other option had seemed favorable.

Vedrians had very strict laws, and only the intervention of what they deemed a “life partner” (some sort of spouse from what the Justice League had gathered) could change a sentence. Having a life partner, according to Vedrians, was a redeeming quality because it meant your soul wasn’t too corrupted to be shared or something of the kind. 

You may think the Lanterns could have dealt with it themselves and that one of Hal’s colleagues could have fake dated him, except that Vedrians didn’t recognise interspecies relationships and that all - not that they were many - human Lanterns were already busy. 

Bruce requested to see Hal immediately upon their arrival. The Vedrians didn’t object.

“Your life partner is here.” his guard announced, letting Bruce follow him in the small room where Hal was locked up. 

The man was sitting against the wall and looked up when he registered the words. Or rather, when they were translated to him. The translator they had given him when they had taken his ring wasn’t as quick or as efficient and Hal missed the weight on his finger. 

He made a face, blinking at the guard, and then at Bruce before looking back at his translator. Clearly not as good as the ring. 

“Am I hallucinating ? I didn’t realise the food was drugged.” he said.

Bruce knelt, assessing his injuries - probably a sprained ankle, quite a few bruises but nothing too serious by the looks - and feels - of it.

Hal raised an eyebrow at Bruce’s wandering hands. 

“Feeling me up, Spooky ? Not bad for a hallucination.” he said after Bruce checked his ribs for potential damage.

Bruce wasn’t wearing the cowl, which meant Hal could actually see him glare at him. 

“I am here to take you home, sweetheart.” Bruce said, insisting on the “sweetheart”. 

The “please shut the fuck up” was so strongly implied than Hal stayed silent for two minutes, trying to process what was happening.  
He didn’t feel like he had been drugged, to be honest. Nothing felt foggy or overly weird. 

Well, except for Bruce calling him endearments with his Batman’s voice. Was it a warning ?  
Maybe this was real ? But then, what exactly was happening ? 

He felt a knife cutting through his ties. He threw a perplexed look at the Vedrian guard who had severed them but Bruce postured himself between them, massaging Hal’s wrists ostensibly before pulling him closer, managing to get Hal to lower his head to Bruce’s chest to hide the shock on the Lantern’s face. 

Having Bruce’s arms around him was surprising to say the least. Bruce took advantage of their positions to murmur in Hal’s ear.

“We’re lovers until we leave.”

Hal coughed to suppress a laugh. Surely it was a joke.  
Hopefully, the guard mistook that for embarrassment at whatever Bruce was whispering to him. However Bruce seemed dead serious. 

“Try to be convincing, they read bodies.” he said, deliberately kissing Hal’s forehead.

Hal did his best not to tense and flushed. What the hell ?  
His heart was beating faster than necessary. Well, a good point for them if Vedrians could really read bodies. Which was something Hal would probably have known if he had planned to stop on Vedr 7. 

The thing was, he had misread some coordinates and found himself arrested for trespassing here instead of arbitrating a small conflict on the planet next door. 

Hal yawned. He really did need sleep. He wasn’t so sloppy at his job usually, but he had been working for 36 hours and mistakes were made. Like trying to argue with the Vedrians and letting them lead him to this room to “discuss matters further”, only to find out the room attenuated the ring’s powers and it left him vulnerable to arrest for trespassing without authorisation. 

Bruce helped him up. Hal was wincing, confirming the ankle injury - not that Bruce doubted his diagnosis. Hal leaned on him - it helped keep up this charade and relieved the pain. 

Clark had smoothed things over with the Vedrians and they were allowed to depart immediately, even receiving well-wishes from their “hosts”.

“My ring.” Hal had required, eyes narrowing. 

It was given back to him with confused apologies. The second he put it on, he relaxed and the pain in his ankle receded. 

The trip back was uneventful. 

Hal mostly slept during most of it. When he woke up, Hal was back in his quarters at the Watchtower, and according to his alarm clock and their flight’s ETA, he probably had been here for a few hours. He wondered which one of Batman or Superman had carried him all the way there. Probably Clark. 

Hal was getting out of the shower when someone knocked at his door. He dressed quickly before opening the door.

“I thought you might be asleep.” Bruce admitted upon seeing him. 

Hal rubbed his eyes. 

“I haven’t been awake for long. You wanted something ?” he asked. “Sweetheart” he added for good measure.

Bruce frowned but Hal caught the slight movement of the corner of his mouth. He was amused.

“You’re going to give people ideas.” Bruce said, looking at the corridor.

“You did convince a bunch of aliens that I was your soulmate, babe.” Hal said, laughing.

It was loud enough for anyone in the Watchtower with an eavesdropping habit - which was quite common among superheroes - could hear him. Bruce rolled his eyes at him and Hal invited him inside, a small smile on his lips. 

“Apparently you did your part in the convincing.” Bruce reminded him after Hal closed the door, his intense gaze scrutinizing the Lantern's face but not giving anything away.

Hal crossed his arms and leaned against the wall, waiting. Nothing more was said for long enough to make it uncomfortable. Hal got tired of playing the quiet game. 

“Bruce, why are you here ?” he asked, finally 

The other man hadn’t volunteered this information yet. Bruce opened his mouth but Hal stopped him, figuring out he was about to find some lame excuse. 

“Why are you really here ?” he said, leaving the wall to get closer. 

Bruce closed his mouth and stayed silent for a bit, considering. 

“For the same reason I was the one on this rescue mission.” he admitted. 

Hal’s gaze held his but Bruce didn’t blink, didn’t even flinch despite Hal having intruded on his personal space during their conversation. 

“Which is ?”

Bruce squinted, trying to read every microexpressions he could catch on Hal’s face. He had never been good at reading Hal, which was all about being open with his emotions, not that he would admit it to himself anytime soon. 

“Do you really need me to spell it out ?” Bruce said.

He didn’t look like he was going to do it without some serious prompting, to be honest, and Hal didn’t like that. 

“There haven’t been many occasions in my life where I’ve been told I am loved, so yes, that would be great.” he said.

There was a short silence. If Hal had hoped for some kind of reaction, it had been to not avail. 

“Am I right ? We passed the Vedrians’ test. Even you can’t fake racing heartbeats, shortenings of breath and the likes.” Hal said knowingly.

He was the more talkative of the two, and the more in touch with his feelings. 

Bruce seemed to take it in consideration, to munch on it before giving his feedback. 

“Can you ?” he asked.

Obviously not, both of them were just humans, but Bruce wanted an answer from Hal. The man laughed. 

“What do you think ?” he said in a conspirator’s tone.

Bruce looked straight at him, no longer lost in his thoughts. 

“I am sorry for your childhood, Hal.”

Bruce sparsely used the Lantern’s first name, and Hal looked pleased when it passed his lips before considering the second part of the sentence.  
He wondered if Bruce had done it to soften the blow. 

Hal knew that it was Bruce’s fucked up way to admit that he did love him, that he really cared, but a teenager wouldn’t have been half as awkward about it. Bruce was a grown man and should have learned a thing or two about other humans and how to interact with them without making them feel vulnerable and weak by now. 

“Why do I feel like you know more about it than someone who hasn’t whole files on his teammates would ? Please don’t answer that, we’ll have this talk about privacy later.” Hal said, and he sounded rightfully angry. 

Bruce just looked at him, not saying anything. He might have realized that he had antagonized his partner almost every time he had opened his mouth in the last minutes.

Hal took a long calming breath. He had more to say, and Bruce wasn’t going to make him yell, no matter how much he tried - without even realizing it, probably. 

“Okay, let’s forget about it for a bit. We were talking about the fact that you’re attracted to me, and I am to you. Where do we go from here ? What do you want ?” Hal said.

They were both looking at each other. Hal’s face was expectant, waiting for Bruce to let himself vulnerable. He was afraid he was going to wait for this quite a bit. 

“I am not sure.” Bruce said. 

Hal sighed, looking away. 

“You do realize I am not planning to pine for you for the rest of my life. Either we do something about it or I try to move on. Your choice.”  
In all honesty, Hal had already tried to move on, and Bruce probably knew that. No doubt he had tried to. 

Bruce licked his lips and Hal threw him a dirty glare. 

“Is there a wrong answer ?”

Hal shook his head but didn’t look at him. Well, at least it wasn’t outright rejection, Bruce was thinking about it. 

Hal wasn’t a coward. He looked straight at Bruce and took a step closer but didn’t touch him. 

“No, as long as you don’t choose one without meaning it. And if we’re doing this, we’re doing it well. It means a real relationship where we talk about our issues and I am not your dirty secret or a convenient one night stand. It’s all or nothing.” he said, crossing his arms on his chest.

“Okay.” Bruce said after an agonizing silence of five seconds.

Hal frowned. 

“What do you mean, okay ? Okay yes yes or okay yes but actually no ?”

Bruce brushed his fingers against Hal’s face. 

“I meant yes yes. To the whole thing.” Bruce said, smiling slightly.

Hal kissed him fiercely. 

“That’s… great. I think the Vedrians missed some data. Let’s see what other kind of physical reactions I can elicit from my life partner.” he said, linking his fingers with Bruce’s.

**Author's Note:**

> I love this trope but it took me ages to write this and I don't even like it much, I hope you've enjoyed it nonetheless.  
> This series is almost finished, just one more oneshot and I am done.


End file.
